Identifying a weakness or an imminent threat is not the same as resolving the problem. Inaction is not an option. Or to put it another way, taking a deer-in-the-headlights approach does not work well in the cybersecurity realm. Security leaders and teams, and the DevSecOps units they work with, need to focus on taking action as soon as possible once they have found a vulnerability using a scanner, application security testing, penetration testing, or some other method.

Vulnerability management is the ongoing practice of continually identifying, classifying, prioritizing, remediating, and mitigating software vulnerabilities or weaknesses in operating systems, enterprise applications — whether in the cloud or on-premises. It also applies to browsers and end-user applications. Vulnerability management is integral to both computer and network security. It enables an organization to monitor its digital environment for potential risks in real time.

The retail sector has its own unique cybersecurity risks, especially given the growing emphasis on online commerce. The trend toward purchasing goods and services on the internet has been going on for years. But the volume of e-commerce has seen a sharp increase since the beginning of the pandemic, when many physical stores were forced to lock down or consumers simply opted to buy online rather than visiting brick-and-mortar locations.

Manufacturing is one of those industries that seems like a natural fit for vulnerability management, in part because these companies can be such easy targets for cyber criminals. Manufacturers in many cases operate far-flung, global facilities including factories, warehouses, and other distribution points. Increasingly, these different facilities are connected as companies look to modernize their operations through digital transformation.

Just as the move to DevOps required a cultural shift, incorporating security into a DevSecOps initiative typically requires a delicate dance between developer and security teams. The two groups historically haven’t seen eye to eye and view one another with distrust.

Assessing the security risks of critical infrastructure organizations is a bit of a challenge, because the category includes multiple industries. The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), which leads the nation’s effort to manage and reduce risk to cyber and physical infrastructure, identifies 16 critical infrastructure sectors.

As the frequency of new products released rises and as the attack surface keeps growing, most companies are faced with a common problem – a growing vulnerability workload. Their vulnerability scanners report countless vulnerabilities and there is simply not enough resources or time to fix all of these vulnerabilities, leaving their networks vulnerable and exploitable.

Software composition analysis (SCA) tools provide automated visibility throughout the software development life cycle (SDLC) for more efficient risk management, security, and license compliance. As organizations accelerate their digital initiatives, they rely on development teams both internally and externally to build the applications that will help them move forward. But applications are also a popular target for criminals.

In this second of a five-part series of posts on why strong vulnerability management is so vital for cybersecurity programs, we look at the need for effective vulnerability management in the healthcare sector. Like financial services, healthcare is a highly-regulated industry and it’s also among the most common targets of cybercriminals.